AFTER having a life-saving bone marrow operation 25 years ago Mick Williams is celebrating the anniversary by trying to raise £25,000 for the charity that helped him.

The 42-year-old, of Millennium Way, Wolston, was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia when he was 18 and needed an emergency transplant.

He underwent the very first bone marrow operation at Walsgrave Hospital, using his younger sister Tricia, who was then just 13, as a donor.

Now he wants to raise funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust, which runs a nationwide register of donors and carries out research into illnesses.

He has already raised £5,000 this year in the Coventry, Silverstone and Stratford half marathons.

Mick, who lives with his wife Julie, 43, son Taylor, 12 and six-year-old daughter Nicole, said: "Because of the operation I have had a very full and happy life and have many more years to come.

"Now, 25 years on, I have set out to raise as much money as possible for the Anthony Nolan Trust, so I can help others who are in the position I was in.

"Sometimes I forget about the operation, but when I remember I realise how lucky I am and I really appreciate life.

"I decided years ago that I didn't want to be a person who just wants to do things, I wanted to be a person who actually does them."

Mick, who is engineering and maintenance manager for airline Flybe at Birmingham Airport, has already undertaken fundraising schemes and has others planned.

He recently cycled 240 miles from Birmingham Airport to Torquay over three days with a group of nine people, including his wife's work colleagues from Caparo AP Braking in Leamington and friends from Flybe.

He is also planning to run four half marathons in four weeks during October, including the Great North run, the Birmingham and Coventry half marathons and finally the Worksop half marathon.

Mick said: "This will be a tough period but I've had tougher battles before and people did not give up on me, so I am determined to see it through to help others.

"I would advise anyone thinking of donating bone marrow to do it, as it makes such a difference to people.

"They have a shortage of male donors aged between 29 and 40, as well as donors from different ethnic groups.